SHARKA TILES

Sharka is an upcoming brand for ceramic tiles that are a synergy between traditional and modern. Our tiles are entirely made and designed in Bulgaria. Our inspirations are the great world traditions in tile-making (Spanish, Moroccan, Turkish, Portuguese, antique designs), and patterns and colors from the Bulgarian folklore. For our first collection, four Bulgarian design studios have worked on developing a pattern based on a particular theme. Poststudio worked on the traditional national clothing; Studio Tochka&Tochka on the carpets from Chiprovtsi; Shevitza.eu on the cross-stitched ornaments on clothing and household goods; and Funkt Architects on the ceramics from the Troyan region.

SHARKA TILES: Funkt Architects approached the Troyan ceramics theme by doing an analysis of the centuries old technique of creating the particular patterns for this craft. The paint drops are put on the clay, after that the object is tuned by the lathe tool (the wheel) and usually the paint is spread with a sharp object. Depending on several variables (quantity of paint, speed of the wheel, movement of the hand) the patterns created are different and each craftsman had his own particular technique to create his designs. The most important thing however remains that the patterns are always axial – because of the rotation of the wheel, the movement of the paint is determined by the center (the axe). In their pattern for Sharka tiles, Funkt Architects made a scheme of this principle and showed the pattern of a traditional ceramic plate from Troyan in the most stripped-down and minimal way possible, keeping only the essentials of the technique.